Vegan with a Vengeance : Over 150 Delicious, Cheap, Animal-Free Recipes That Rock (Paperback)

by Isa Chandra Moskowitz (Author) "WELCOME TO Vegan with a Vengeance!..." (more)
Key Phrases: fluffy white icing, few dashes fresh black pepper, cup nonhydrogenated margarine, Punk Points, Bragg Liquid Aminos, Macadamia Crème (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
To appreciate this quirky vegan cookbook, readers must welcome the author's offhand, rambling style. A chatty Brooklynite who hosts her own public access cooking show, she scatters stories about her mother, her friends and her politics among recipes for goodies like Fresh Corn Fritters and Curried Split Pea Soup. In one anecdote, she writes that her mother liked the scones from "one of those overpriced French cafes in Union Square," prompting the author to create Glazed Orange scones in her mother's honor, and the sweet, rich result rivals the average "overpriced café" model. BBQ Pomegranate Tofu is actually baked, not barbecued, but still the tofu is rich and smoky, terrific over rice or packed into heroes. Even better, the vegan iterations of Spanakopita and Seitan-Portobello Stroganoff so closely approximate the traditional versions that even the pickiest eaters would happily trade one for the other. And although there's no chicken broth in Matzoh Ball Soup, the vegetable stock is hearty enough to cure the fiercest cold. Best of all, and rare in a vegan cookbook, the author provides several appealing dairy-free desserts that are tasty enough to fool most omnivores, yet unique enough to thrill any vegan who just can't face another tofu ice cream bar.
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Review
"(The book) has got plenty of attitude, and the killer recipes to back it up. Watch out Betty Crocker." -- Erik Marcus, author of Meat Market--Animals, Ethics, and Money, publisher of Vegan.com

"... Integrates Isa's NY and punk roots with a sophisticated culinary palate and political nuance that only comes with experience." -- Josh Hooten, Herbivore Magazine

"Vegan with a Vengeance shows you can make great, healthy food and still live with yourself in the morning." -- Jim Lindberg, Pennywise

"This fun and creative book is delicious for people like me, who don't eat pets!" -- Joan Jett

"This is, hands down, the most kick-ass vegan cookbook ever. We're going to buy copies for everyone we know..." -- Bob and Jenna Torres, authors of Vegan Freak: Being Vegan in a Non-Vegan World

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press (October 27, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1569243581
• ISBN-13: 978-1569243589
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (289 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,628 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

211 of 215 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If You Could Have Only One Vegan Cookbook - Get THIS!, November 22, 2005

By	K. Walters "Lover of fitness, politics, readi... (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am a relatively new vegan, and I dove in head first and purchased a TON of vegetarian/vegan cookbooks so that I would not get bored and frustrated with my new lifestyle. Of all of the cookbooks I own, I have been disappointed with many, impressed by some and awed by only one - Vegan with a Vengeance. The recipes are creative, flavorful, and are enjoyed by my meat-eating friends/family as much as by me! Plus, the book covers a lot of ground - from breakfasts/brunches to desserts, soups, sammiches, etc. I love the additional commentary and advice in the book, regardless of the fact that the other and I don't have the same views on many issues! I keep going back to this cookbook frequently and my many others are starting to collect dust. An absolute must have for any vegetarian or vegan library, and highly recommended for anyone else who wants to eat a little healthier and more varied as well.

112 of 116 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome!, April 16, 2006

By	wild animals - See all my reviews

I love this cookbook! I am not a cook (I do most of my cooking using the microwave) and I don't really know what I'm doing, but I still love this book! The directions are really simple and straightforward, and there's a section on stocking the vegan pantry, which is something that has always escaped me. Now that I have onions, garlic and potatoes handy, I can actually make some of these recipes without going shopping. I think that is the greatest beauty of this book--the ingredients are usually relatively cheap (although spices cost a bit at first if you don't already have them) and most of them aren't very exotic. I live in a rural-ish area and our mega-grocery has most of the ingredients that appear in the book (the other ingredients are within a 30-minute drive, so we're good to go). Moskowitz keeps cheap and simple in mind, so even if the recipe calls for fancy kitchen equipment, she'll often give a punk rock alternative so you can make the recipe without having to spend a lot of money at a yuppie kitchen store.

The only things about this book that I'm not crazy about are: 1) There are a couple of typos or inconsistencies that leave you wondering which you're supposed to follow, although I'm sure you can figure it out if I can. 2) For microwave professionals like myself, it can be hard to decide what a "medium onion" or "large russet potato" looks like. Now that vegetables are genetically altered, the classic medium potato looks kind of shrimpy. I like having ingredients listed in standardized measurements. 3) Possibly due to problems related to item 2, I made the falafel (the uncooked falafel tasted rockin!), but it didn't stick together in the cooking oil. So I had this dough that took a couple hours for me to make, and I put it in the oil and it disintegrated. I couldn't eat it! I think I used a genetically altered onion that was bigger than it was supposed to be, so the falafel was too wet. I don't know! But it was tragic. (In related news, the tahini was a-mazing. I think I made it three times in one week, it was so good.)

I'm still giving this book 5 stars because I think a lot of the problems are my own, and it's so good otherwise that it makes up for it. The chocolate pudding is *(#@$(* great! The only thing is that you have to wait for it to chill (can't eat it warm), or it doesn't taste so good.

I've never had a cookbook that I really, actually used before, but this one is already beat up and discolored! There are ingredients all over it! I'm so proud of myself!!! Great book! :D

57 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I've got more vengeance than you can shake a stick at, October 20, 2006

By	Anna (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

When I first checked this book out from the library I did something that I've never done with a cookbook before--I sat down and just read it. The author is so entertaining, witty, and engaging that I just liked reading the recipe descriptions, punk points, tips from Fizzle the cat, and litte vignettes that are woven into the book.

Then I started cooking. Oh, the scones! Amazing! The TLTs (tempeh, lettuce, tomato)! Wonderful! So many recipes, so little time.

So of course I returned the book to the library and bought my very own copy to drool over and treasure and love and sleep with under my pillow. OK, so I exaggerate, but not much.

The only downside is that many of the entrees call for tempeh, seitan, or tofu, and I don't use those products very often. But when I do, I know that Isa will give me a good recipe. But there are enough other recipes that I think it's balanced overall. And Isa convinced me to try roasted brussels sprouts on pizza. Crazy, I know, but it was SO GOOD.

Yesterday I also got Isa's newest book, Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. It's also wonderfully entertaining and I can't wait to start baking. I'm thinking of buying Vegan with a Vengeance and Vegan Cupcakes for all of my friends this Christmas--and none of them are vegan. No matter! Our vegan vengeance and cupcakey goodness will take over the world!